GUEST POST from Don – Easy Pest Control

EASY PEST CONTROL

MOSQUITO BUCKET

I think I forgot one teensy point.  You should go to the hardware section of wherever you like to shop and buy something called “mosquito dunks.”  They look like tiny donuts.  Throw one in the bucket (and check once a month whether it has dissolved.  Replace when gone).

Mosquito dunks are safe for pets, fish, and birds because it isn’t an insecticide in the traditional sense.  It is a bacteria.  Mosquito larvae float just under the surface and have a breathing tube to the surface.  This bacteria grows in the tube and they suffocate.  Thus, no new mosquitoes.

For the bucket to work well you must eliminate other sources of standing water.  Clean the gutters, throw away that old tire, don’t allow kids to leave their toys outside in the rain, and improve the drain from that marshy area where you always get your riding mower stuck.

If it doesn’t work well for you, you can always call a mosquito treatment company.

And if you live right next to the local swamp … forget it.  For you there is only one option … a well-sealed screen porch.  

CONTROLLING SMALL ANTS

This is as simple as it gets, too.  Cost is under $20.  There are several small ant species for which this treatment works well.

It will work for Pavement ants (they push sand piles up between cracks); Odorous House ants, a small fast-moving black ant (almost nothing else works for them); Acrobat ants, medium small ants that have a pointed butt (they are also two toned, but few notice that); Thief ants, absolutely tiny honey colored ants; and often Carpenter ants (they’re sometimes finicky).  Go buy granular ant bait (My favorite, Advance, you won’t find at the store, but there are two others with marvelous ingredients … Grants Granular Ant Bait, or Amdro Granular Ant Bait.)  Don’t get the store brands or other brand name products.  I’m not saying they won’t work.  They might.  But why not start with something you KNOW will work?

You have to plan ahead.  If you always get ants in June, start putting out bait in May before you see any.  They are there, they just haven’t organized their invasion yet.  

Most people “broadcast” bait like it is grass seed, and most people are wrong.  One serious problem with broadcasting bait is that birds think it is seed and will feed it to their chicks.  You aren’t trying to kill baby birds, so don’t do that.

Instead create TINY piles of bait about 2-4” from your foundation at 10′ intervals.  Ants walking nearby will soon be carrying it off.  Do this treatment about every 2-4 weeks on dry, sunny days until you are past the ant invasion season.  By the way, if your piles are TINY you won’t use the entire container until you reach the end of the season.  If you see ants trailing into your foundation, put a couple TINY piles right on their trail.  Don’t worry if the bait looks too big.  Ants are experts at breaking stuff.

I have a story which illustrates the value of this.  Our pest control company won a contract to control ants at a very large office building.  The previous pest company was doing emergency services there about 12 times every summer.  Even during my initial inspection I found scores of ant piles behind desks (Pavement ants).  You can’t make a profit if you are always doing emergency services.  So, I had a plan.  That fall and the next spring I used granular ant bait around the outside of the building.  We only had one emergency ant treatment there the next summer (and we used an injectible bait for that).  The second year we had zero emergency treatments.  The owner felt good that he hired us and we felt good that we could prevent problems.

Remember, if the ants get beyond your ability to control them, you can always hire a professional.

DEALING WITH SPIDERS

It is difficult to control spiders directly.  It takes understanding of what makes spiders like your house.  They love the food and housing you provide.  “I don’t provide anything,” you say, and you are wrong.

The high humidity in your basement, crawl space, or attic draws insects.  The insects draw the spiders.  They occupy your house because of the humidity.  Reduce humidity below 50% and I promise you will see far fewer spiders.

The overgrown bushes next to your house are marvelous feeding grounds.  When was the last time you trimmed them anyway?  More high humidity is there because that area can’t dry out between rains.  It is full of beetles, crickets, etc.

That mulch … yup!  It holds moisture RIGHT AGAINST your foundation.  The first 2 feet next to your foundation should have a 2-3” grade drop and be a no-mulch “dry zone” if you don’t want insects and spiders.

If you aren’t willing to do the work to eliminate moisture, then you’ll have to call a professional pest control service.

ANNOUNCEMENT:  
I have two creative writings I will be sharing.  In June a short-short called “The Winner.”  

In July I have one I am writing for Independence Day.  I like to invite others to share their creativity from time to time.  If you have a poem, artwork, or a writing which fits Independence Day please submit it to Owly’s email (label it for “July 4.”)  She has some standards for submissions.  I am not in charge of her site, I’m merely a guest.  

[PLEASE NOTE that Don is always open to discussing the thoughts and opinions he shares here and welcomes comments as shared in the comment section. He doesn’t use other social media platforms and won’t see whatever you’d like to share with him if you post it elsewhere.
ALSO, Don is always open to offer his thoughts on various topics. If you have a specific request, you can let him know in a comment; he reads – and replies to – them all. ~ Sherry]

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